Last.



' tion of the length of the last for the purposeV UNITED STATES `PATEtVr OEEICE.

ELLERY C. WRIGHT, OF BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

LAST.

srncrrrchrrourorming part of Letters Patent No. 652,011, atea June 19, 1900. Application filed January 19, 1900. Serial No. 1.987. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it nur/y concern:

Be it known that I, ELLERY C. WEIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brockton, county of Plymouth, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Lasts, of Which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My invention is an improvement in lasts, being primarily intended for treeing lasts or followers of the divided or multipart kind.

, The line of cut separating my last into the fore-part and heel-part portions extends, preferably, obliquely in a straight line from the top of the last rearwardly toward the heel part, this vertical cut being made oblique to enable the last to shorten for the purpose of removal from a shoe. The fore part and heel part are connected together, so as to permit of their being separated slightly in the direcof stretching the shoe during the treeing operation, the connection also permitting the last to shorten for the purpose of removal from the shoe and insertion thereinto.

A further object of my invention is to provide means for maintaining the fore part and heel part in accurate longitudinal or horizontal alinement when in operative position with' in a last.

The constructional details ofmyiuvention and various advantages thereof will be more fully pointed out in the course of the follow# ing description.

In the drawings I have illustrated certain" embodiments of my invention as I prefer to makeit.

Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section of a last constructed according to my invention, taken on the line l l, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 2 2, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a similar sectionto Fig. l, showing a modified detail of construction.

It will be understood that my invention is applicable to any form or general construction of this kind of last, and I do not limit myself to the minor details thereof nor to the particular embodiment of my invention herein presented.

After the first lasts have been removed from shoes in the process of shoe manufacture the having independent spindles to fit into suit- A able sockets provided in the fore part and heel part of the last, respectively, and another `of said machines having holes or sockets to receive spindles or pins provided permanently in the respective parts of the last.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that I have provided a fore part a anda heel `part a', connected by a plate or union a2, se-

cured in any suitable manner to the fore part, as by the transverse pins or rivets a3, and having a slot-and-pin connection with the heel part, the slot being preferably provided in the plate a2 at a4 to receive a pin a5. The plate 0,2 is held in a kerf or recess a6 in the fore part, and the heel part has a correspond ing kerf a7 in alinement with said plate for sliding up and down thereover. At its lower end the slot a4 has an offset as, as clearly shown in Fig. l. The fore part and heel part of the .last are provided, respectively, with any suitable or preferred means for coperat ing with a treeing device for lengthening the las't when in operative position within a shoe, and for this purpose I have shown in Fig. l spindlesockets 0,9 am, and in Fig. 3 I have shown projecting pins or spindles L12 0.13, these spindles or sockets, as the case may be, beingin vertical alinement one behind the other when viewing the last endwise, so that a separating movement of one relatively to the other will cause an even and direct lengthen; ing or stretching movement in the last. I do not limit myself to these parts af als, inasmuch as any'other suitable means may be employed for coperating with any kind of a treeing device desired.

In operation, the last beingin collapsed conditionwith the pin 0,5 at the upper end of the slot a4, the fore part a is placed in the shoe and forced forward. Then the heel part is shoved down tightly into the heel, vso as to be even with the rest ofthe lastin theposition the heel part a away from the fore part into I the dotted-line position, Fig. l, the pin 0.5 then occupying the notch or offset as of the plate a2. This enables the operator to stretch the leather of the shoe to the extent required. Also, because of theshap'e of the slot a4, the heel part is caused'to move down into the shoe and out again in substantial parallelism f Wi th the fore part, giving freedom and ease of movement, as Well as the requisite precision` and certainty.

When the offset a8 is used, as shown, Vitil will be observed that it performs two Very Vimportant functions: First, it permits of the lengthening or stretching movement already explained, and, second, it prevents the heel part from shifting vertically out of longitudinal alinement with the fore part. l

If some provision is not made to keep the heel part' even with the fore part, the tend- 'e'ncy thereofto slide along the oblique or inclined straight slot 0,4 is so great that the par-ts are liable to get out of line and cause creasing or otherdamage to the shoe. l

This construction is very strong and not Q liable to permit of any lateral shifting of the heel* part relatively to the fore part, and is also quite inexpensive.

Insteadof the specific form of plate union herein shown I may employ the form shown in my pending application.

I donot restrict myself to the details of construction f otherwise than as expressed hereinafter in the claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- 1 1. A'last having a-fore vpart'and a separate heel part joined bya union permitting the last to shorten for Withdrawal lfrom and insertion into a shoe, and means for permitting the fore part and heel lpart to separate to lengthen the last when in operative position Within a shoe, substantially as described.

2. A last having a fore part and a separate heel part joined by a union permitting the sertion into a shoe, and meansfor permitting the fore part and heel; part to separate to lengthen the last when in operative position lwithin a shoe, combined withmeans for cooperating with Va treein'g device for lengthening the last in order to expand and stretch a shoe 4being treed, substantiallyas described. 3. Alast having a separate fore part and lheel part, a plate rigidly secured to one of Ssaid parts and projecting intoy the other of said parts, the projecting, end of said plate lhaving an L-shaped slot, andthe adjacent part` of the last having a pin Working in said slot, substantially as described;

In testimony` whereof I have` signed my name to this specicationin the presenceof ltwo subscribing Witnesses. y ELLERY C. WRIGHT.

`Witnesses: Y

GEo. H. MAXWELL,

GEO. W. GREGORY.

jllast to shorten for Withdrawal from and in- 

